Hypodermic syringe and needle therefor



Feb. 17, 1931. F. s. DlcKlNsoN HYPODERMIC SYRINGE AND NEEDLE THEREFOR Filed Jah. e. 19:50

' WITNESS ga@ ATToRNEYs I Patented Feb. 17, 1931 UNITED STA FAIRLEIGH S.A DICKINSON, 0F -IE'U'ILIEZERII?QED, NEW JERSEY HYPODERMIC SYRINGE AND-NEEDLE THEREFOR Application led January 6, 1930. Serial No. 418,962.

The invention relates to surgical instruments of the kind generally known as hypodermic syringes and has for its object tol pro- 'vidc means for establishing a reliable connection between the2needle and the barrel. The invention, by means-of which this result is obtained, involves a needle member as well as a novel structure of the barrel member. Advantages of the invention will be referred to hereinafter.

Although the invention is obviously capable of numerous other formS,'I haveillustrated preferred embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of thenew syringe; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the lower portion of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view approximately on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;v Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the needle shown in Fig. 1; Fig; 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the lower portion of the barrel of the syringe; Fig; 6 illustrates a right end elevation of the needle shown in Fig. 4; and Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing the relation of the needle to the metal. sleeve of the barrel member' when the needle is in a locked position in the syringe. v

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, 1 indicates a syringe preferably made of glass and which is provided with a discharge nozzle 2 tapering on the outer surface so as to readily receive the'hub 3 of the needle 4. Heretofore "needles have been provided with hubs having bores similar to the bore 4a of hub 3 `so as to be readily slipped -upon the nozzle 2 and held thereon by friction. A slip joint of this character is very desirable as it provides a good Contact between the metal hub andthe glass nozzle and holds the needle steady and prevents the entrance of air. When, however, the needle is used with the syringe anddepends only. upon -1 -friction for holding the same in placeas has been' the practice heretofore, it has beenfound that the syringe frequently becomes separated from the needle during the operation thereof, ilparticularly where a com aratively heavy uid is being forced throng the needle. This is extremely objectionable and often dangerous as for example where the surgeon, as a result of such separation, cannot be sure of the exact amount of fluid that he has forced through -the needle into the patient.A v

Nevertheless, although such defects of existing structures `have been recognized, no satisfactory remedyhas thus far been found. This is in part due to the fact that the needle member may not be fastened in any permanent or troublesomely detachable mannerto the barrel member but must, at all times,be easily and conveniently separable at will and replaceable by a new'needle.

rEhe new invention overcomes all the diiiculties and disadvantages of the prior constructions while at the same time retaining all of the advantages thereof. These results are brought about by constructing the needle member so that, while it still may be efliciently utilized in connection with the barrel members of existing syringes of the indicated type in a manner to retain all of the i advantages inherent therein, itis specially adapted for use in connection with the barrel of the new syringe which includes means arranged to cooperate with means on the needle, so located with respect to each other as to prevent unintentional separation of the needle and barrel and to emphasize the desirable features which are found in the existing syringesi'. f l

1n the illustrated example of the inventionvv (Fig. 2), the syringe -is provided with a,

sleeve-*carrying element supporting the locking sleeve 5, said element being secured in place in' anysuitable manner upon the syringe, the method of attachment being such as to withstand separation of the parts under anyordinary conditions to which the syringe is subjected.- A referred method of accomplishing this resu t is .to make the collar 5a of the metal sleeve 5 slightly smaller ininternal dimension than the exterior dimension of the ground glass nozzle 2 at its point of connec- 95 tion with said collar 5a, thenheating the latter and in its heated condition slipping it upon the relatively cool glass nozzle 2 whereupon as the metal cools a practically permanent connection will be established between the metal sleeve 5a and the glass nozzle 2. The process by which this is accomplished is set forth in my Patent No. 1,727,755. There are other methods of making a proper connectionbetween the sleeve 5 and the syringe 1 but Y for the purposes of the present case any such connection is the equivalent of the preferred` connection above set forth. The hub 3 of the needle is relatively small, light in weight and incapable of being used as a device by itself and is provided with the usual bore 4a, Vand at that end which is contiguous to the needle 4 is formed with one or more flattened portions or faces 6. Near its opposite end, the hub is provided withv one or more faces 7 which as shown may comprise flattened portions on an upstanding flange 8 which in such case is divided into two sections by the flattened or reduced portions 7. The flange 8 is comparatively thin and the two sections thereof which form projecting portions 8 on diametrically opposite sides of the hub, are substantially arc-shaped and each occupy about one-fourth of the complete flange. These projecting portions 8 constitute an example of the means on the needle whereby unintentional separation from the syringe barrel 1 isprevented by cooperation with. a co-action means on the locking sleeve 5; thus in theillustrated example said projecting portions 8 act as interlocking cams with the respective spiral'cams 9 and 10 arranged interiorly of the locking sleeve 5. The spiral cams 9 and 10 may be termed threads thoughthe action is that of spiral cams, there being twocams to accommodate the two portions 8 which interlock with the cams for holding the h'ub 3 in sub stantially the position shown in Fig. 2. Itwill be understood that other means whereby the needle is connected with the syringe barrel in an equivalent manner so as to be easily detachable and attachable at will and so as to be fixed against unintentional separation .may be substituted for the projection portions 8 and the spiral cams 9 and 10. .That is to say, any type of devices which cooperate to fix the needle in place in a manner to resist forces developed by the syringe .when in use and exerted-in a direction parallel with the sur- .face engagement of the needle barrel with the nozzle 2 are within the purview of my claims. When the needle 4 is not in use, it may rest on a supporting surface with one of the flattened faces 7 and the corresponding face 6 Apositioned in engagement with said supporting surface .whereby the needle 4 will be held at an upward inclination with its point elevated for an appreciable distance abovethe support as. shown in Fig. 4. In combining the needle member with the barrel member, the hub is gripped and forced onto the nozzle2 by a gentle rotation of the hub. The spiral cams. 9

and 10 are spaced a suflcient distance apart to permit the hub to freely rotate until it begins to frictionallyengage the outer surface of the nozzle 2 whereupon a final rotation of the hub with very little forward movement will cause the cam portions 8 of the needle member to engage thespiral cams 9 and 10 and act to assure a nal perfection of fit and at the same time locking the hub in its perfectly seated condition against accidental removal or accidental loosening. The final rotation of the hub and the resultant cam action between the projections v8 and the spiral cams 9 and. 10 jams the parts together so that uncoupling by reverse rotation is resisted to an extent suilicient toprevent unseating of the cams in the ordinary operation of the syringe or unless a 'special effort sufficient to overcome the resistance is made. At the same time the coupling is not so resistant as to prevent uncouplingwith great ease a simple manual operation applied by gripping the needle hub between two fingers of one hand andthe barrel with the other hand and imparting reverse rotative movements to these elements. The sleeve 5 in addition to acting as a locking sleeve or member for the hub 3, protects and tends to keep clean the outer surface of the tip or nozzle 2. Even in an exceptional case where the frictional engagement between the tip or nozzle 2 and the hub 3 fails accidentally to be established or a separation takes place from any cause, the cam portions or members 8 will nevertheless co-act with. the spiral cams 9 and 10 to hold the hub against disengagement so that the surgeon may without impediment complete the operation of injecting the lluid into the patient.

In cases where it is desired to provide means Vfor specially treating the nozzle with cleansing or disinfecting fluids, the sleeve 5 may be apertured at one or more points as indicated at 11 in Figs. 15. y

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings .I have shown two such apertures 11 although any number may be used, depending on the particular circumstances. On the inner wall-of sleeve 5 I provide an inwardly extending lug 11 which is herein depicted as being stamped out of and bulged from the metal constituting the sleeve. This lug is adapted to engage a mating slot 12 incorporated in `one of the projecting portions of .cam 8 and to guide the cam to the start ing point of the cam Way. Slot 12 is positioned in such relationl to the inclined face 13 of the needle point that when the needle is firmly locked in position Within sleeve 6,v the face 13 and the needle opening 14 are in alignment with a scale 15 which is located on the barrel'of the syringe. With this arrangement the doctor or operator .does not have to turn the syringe around after he has inserted the needle into a person in order to see the scale as has heretofore been necessary, butv the doctor merely has to insert the needle into a (person in the usual manner' with the incline face andthe needle opening facing upwardly and then he can read the scale which is in alignment with the inclined face and needle 'opening without having to turn the syringe around in order into a readable position on the upper side of the barrel of the syringe. It is obvious that bythe incorporationpf my novel lug and slot construction in a syringe the use of the latter is greatly facilitated and all necessity for twisting and turning the syringe around after insertion into a patient to bring the scaleinto a readable position is avoided, for the slot and lug construction provides means for positively guiding the needle into al predetermined position with respect to the needle opening so that the needle opening will be in to bring the scale 4 alignment with the scale on the`barrel when the needle 1s 1n itsflnal locked position. rllhe coupling of the needle to the sleeve of the syringe is also madeeasy because when the slot is slipped over the lug the cam is in correct position to engage the cam way.

lt will be seen that the new needle'can be used with equal facility but -with improved effect'in connection with existing glass syringes without requiring any alteration or modification of the syringe structure.

provided with the described sleeve structure, rlhere is thus provided lan improved construction wherein the desirable and beneficial ac- .i

tion of the slip joint is retained while at the same time means are presented which will positively lock the needle against slipping off of the syringe when under pressure. 'The sleeve structure ofthe new barrel construction is so designed, on the other hand, that it will accommodate any standard existing needle.

So far as the needle member is concerned, it will be seen that a plurality of finger grips" are presented which act in the double capacity of finger gripsl and means for holding the discharge end of the needle from contact with a surface on which it may restor be mounted,

above described..

while having also permanent means to adapt the needle to be used with equal Jfacility with a plain glassl syringe and with a syringe provided with the novel cooperating member A furtherfeature ofv the .invention is that it provides a co-acting needle and lock in con-l nection with the nozzle of a syringe whereby the hub of the needle may be forced on the tapering nozzle and bemade to firmly engage the same by friction and at the same `time becomeinterlo'cked with the locking member secured to the syringe so that accidental loosening of the needle will not cause its removal from the syringe.

It will also be observed that the relation between the sleeve and barrel is such as to avoid lhaving the 'metal project over the sides of the barrel, 'thus avoiding any obstruction to vuse in discharging its liquid contents.

At thev same time, the needle member functions still. more perfectly when associated with a syringe being provided uimi), rms

the'complete observation of the entire interior I "needle illustrated and described herein is constituted of a relatively thin, light shell of metal, and is made relatively small. When such a needle is'attached to the barrel of the syringe by means of its hub, the syringe is properly balanced so that an-operator canmanipulatethe syringe without'l muscular strain such as would result from the presence of a massive needle hub. In other words, while the hub has sufficient weight to prevent the point of the needle from tilting downwardly when the needle is-placed on a table or the like byitself, itis not s o heavy as to throwthe syringe out of balance during its Thus the entire weight of a needle, together with its hub, gauge 25, is, for example, in one 'of the commercial embodiments of the invention ll/g dwt. (/S needle length beyond hub).

Various changes in the specific -form shown land described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing vfrom the spirit of my invention.

Certain partsof the subject matter of this application were divided out of an application heretofore filed by me whichhas now become Patent No. 1,742,497.

:ll claim:

1. The combination comprising a hub having a needle end and azbutt end, said hub adapted to fit the tapered end of a syringe' andto'be held thereon by frictional engagement, aneedle positioned at the needle end of said hub,\and at the furthest outwardly projecting part of the butt portion of the hub, a fin, shaped and dimensioned as a relatively thin'lip capable of entering and travelling alongva helical groove, the surface of said n being contoured and adapted for engagement with a flat helically disposed cam surface around and in the path of the tin, the 'outer surfaces ofthe hub at two opposed sides thereof in the plane of the fin being. nearer the axis of the hub than are the outer edge-'portions of the fin.

2. lThe combination comprising a hub having a needle end and a-butt end, said hub being provided with an interior tapered bore adapted to fit the ltapered Aend of a syringe and to be held thereon by frictional lengagement, a needle .positioned at the needle end of said hub, and, at vthe furthestA outwardly projecting parts of the butt portion of the projecting from opposite outer faces of'said butt portion of the hub, each said Ifin being shaped and dimensioned as a relativelythin lip capable of entering and travelling along a helical groove, the outer surfaces. of the hub at opposed sides thereof intermediate of the fins in the plane of the with an interior tapered bore fins being nearer the axis of the hub than are the outer edge portions of the fins.

3. The combination set forth in claim l, wherein the hub at theneedle end and also at its butt end, at each of two opposed sides of said hub, has portions co-acting in pairs to support the hub in a lying position upon a surface while maintaining the needle out of contact with said surface, the 1in being positioned at the butt end of the hub intermediate between the planes of the two pairs of gripping faces.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1,

wherein the hub at the needle end and alsoin the plane of the fin, terminates at each of two opposed sides of the hub in parallel planes,each at its center line being nearer the axis of the hub portions than the outermost part of the fin, the fin being positioned at the butt end of the hub intermediate between the said planes.

5. A hypodermic syringe comprising a barrel provided with a scale and with a plunger, an outlet collar fitted securely on the lower-end of said barrel, a sleeve extending from the periphery of said collar, a hollow conical hub projecting from,l the interior of said collar, a cam way provided in said sleeve, a lug associated with the inner wall of said sleeve and positioned anterior to the starting point of said cam way, a needle having an opening at the lower end thereof and a cam at the upper end thereof adapted to coact with said cam way, and means incorporated in said cam to engage and cooperate with the aforesaid lug to guide the cam into the starting point of said cam way which is so positioned with relation to the cam that the needle opening will be in alignment with the scale when the needle is in its final locked position.

6. The combination comprising a hub having a needle end and a butt end` said hub being provided with an interior tapered bore adapted to fit the tapered end of a syringe and to be held thereon by frictiona-l engagement, a needle positioned at the needle end of the hub and, at the furthest outwardly 'projecting part of the butt portion of the hub, a

fin shaped and dimensione-d as a relativelyl thin lip capable of entering and traveling .along a helical groove, the outer surfaces of the hub at two opposed sides thereof extending toward the other end of the hub, said surfaces being spaced apart by a distance which is not as great as the distance between the outermost parts of the said fin and, in the plane of the fin, being nearer the axis of the gub than are the outer edge portions of the v'l'. The combination comprising a hub -member, a tapered bore incorporated within said' hub and adapted to make a frictional engagement with a nozzle of a syringe, a transverse n-located `at one end of said hubV and engagement with a. nozzle of a having a pair of opposed flat sides, said fin bein provided with a plurality of lips extending outwardly farther than the outermost parts of said flat sides'and constituting a cam which is capable of entering and traveling along a heli'cally grooved cam way, a pair of opposed flat surfaces, provided at the other end of said hub. in alignment with the aforesaid fiat sides and having such a width as to afford an adequate finger-grip ping portion and to provide a stable base, and a needle member projecting from said hub at a point adjacent to said flat surfaces.

8. The combination comprising a hub member, a tapered bore incorporated within said hub and adapted to make a frictional l syringe, a

transverse fin located at one end of sala nulo and having a pair of opposed flat sides, said fin being provided with a plurality oflips extending outwardly farther than the outermost parts of said flat sides and 4constituting a cam which is capable of entering and traveling along a helically formed in one of said lips and adapted to engage a mating lug on the sleeve of a syringe, a pair of opposed flat surfaces provided at the other end of said hub in alignment with the aforesaid flat sides and having such a width as to afford an adequate finger-gripping portion and to provide a stable base, and a needle member projecting from' said hub at a point adjacent to said flat surfaces, and having an inclined face and opening in alignment with one of the flat surfaces.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FAIRLEIGH S. DICKINSON.

grooved cam way, a slot 

